in2ebook Chapter 239 Li Quan is back
Chapter 239 Li Quan is back
The next morning, as the first rays of dawn touched the earth, the heavy city gates slowly opened. Li Quan, who had been waiting for some time, eagerly mounted his horse, cracked his whip, and spurred his steed to gallop out like an arrow. Hooves flew, dust billowed, and he raced along the official road as if a thousand troops were chasing him.
If one did not know that he was a eunuch, one would surely mistake him for a promising young general based solely on his skillful horsemanship and dashing figure.
Along the way, Li Quan completely ignored the astonished looks of passersby, his only thought being to get back to the manor as soon as possible.
Time flew by, and it was already late afternoon. After several hours of travel, Li Quan finally arrived at the manor. He reined in his horse, slowing it down, and then gracefully dismounted. He casually tossed the reins to the servant waiting at the door, and then, limping, strode quickly into the house.
At this moment, the manor was peaceful and serene. In the study, Su Nuannuan sat upright at her desk, diligently practicing calligraphy. Her slender, jade-like hands gently held the brush, writing each stroke carefully, like a blooming lotus flower, fresh, refined, and elegant. Jinse stood quietly to the side, attentively serving her mistress.
Yaoqin is rarely by Su Nuannuan's side these days, as she is either assigned to serve the princes or busy with the princess. Only when she has a spare moment will she return to Su Nuannuan's side to continue her duties faithfully.
Just as Su Nuannuan was immersed in the fragrant atmosphere of ink, Jinse suddenly noticed Li Quan hurrying in. She quickly lowered her voice and whispered, "Your Highness, Eunuch Li is back."
However, before Su Nuannuan could react, Li Quan quickened his pace and limped to her side. He bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, this servant has returned."
"What did His Majesty say?" Su Nuannuan gently placed the brush in her hand on the brush holder, then raised her head and looked directly at Li Quan in front of her, asking softly.
Li Quan bowed slightly, his face full of respect, and hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, His Majesty has already agreed to this matter. However..." He paused slightly before continuing, "His Majesty has also confiscated the blueprint."
Upon hearing this news, a faint smile appeared on Su Nuannuan's lips. She chuckled softly and slowly said, "I never expected to be able to get these blueprints back anyway."
At this moment, Li Quan suddenly raised his head again, staring intently at Su Nuannuan, and cautiously said, "Your Majesty, our people sent me a message before dawn."
Seeing this, Su Nuannuan, who had been leaning back in her chair, sat up straight and quickly asked, "Oh? Tell me quickly! What kind of news is it?"
Li Quan took a deep breath and then answered, word by word, "Our people have sent word that Her Majesty the Empress intends to send His Highness the Crown Prince to you."
"What did you say?" Su Nuannuan's eyes widened instantly upon hearing this, her face filled with disbelief. She then abruptly stood up from her chair, strode to Li Quan, and urgently demanded, "Say it again! What exactly happened?"
Seeing his master so excited, Li Quan dared not be negligent in the slightest and hurriedly repeated what he had just said: "Her Majesty the Empress wants to send the Crown Prince to you."
After receiving confirmation, Su Nuannuan frowned and muttered under her breath, "Has Her Majesty the Empress gone mad? Why doesn't she keep the Crown Prince by her side and teach him carefully, but instead sends him to me? What's going on here?" Clearly, Su Nuannuan was filled with doubt and dissatisfaction regarding the Empress's actions.
"Fine, fine, let him come! Anyway, life here is pretty hard. Once the Crown Prince can't stand it, he'll go back." Su Nuannuan waved her hand helplessly and muttered irritably.
After saying that, she raised her head, looked at Li Quan who was standing there, and asked, "Is there any other news?"
Li Quan bowed slightly and replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, last night His Majesty took Chief Eunuch Li with him to the Empress's residence with a mysterious wooden box. Moreover, His Majesty did not stay overnight."
As soon as Li Quan finished speaking, Su Nuannuan's mind cleared up instantly. She snorted coldly, thinking indignantly, "So it was the Emperor who was behind all this. He probably used my blueprints to fool the Empress. No wonder the Empress suddenly thought of sending the Crown Prince to me!"
Thinking of this, Su Nuannuan's face grew increasingly gloomy, but she quickly regained her composure and then pressed Li Quan for an answer: "Besides this, are there any other circumstances?"
Li Quan quickly shook his head and replied cautiously, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Our men were unable to find out what the Emperor and Empress were saying in the room, and they had no way to get close."
After hearing Li Quan's explanation, Su Nuannuan sighed and waved her hand, saying, "Alright, you've had a long and tiring journey. Go and get some rest. You don't need to work for the next two days."
"Yes, Your Majesty, this servant thanks you for your grace." Li Quan bowed deeply to Su Nuannuan and then carefully backed away from the room.
Once Li Quan's figure had completely disappeared through the doorway, Jinse turned around and whispered to Su Nuannuan, "Your Highness, Li Quan just said that His Highness the Crown Prince is coming. Do you think we should make some preparations in advance?"
Upon hearing this, Su Nuannuan looked at Jinse with a half-smile and asked, "Prepare for what? How come I didn't know the Crown Prince was coming? Did we foresee the future?"
Jinse was taken aback by Su Nuannuan's question, but then instantly understood. That's right, the Emperor hadn't even sent anyone to formally inform them of the Crown Prince's upcoming visit; this news had just been brought by Li Quan. If they were to rush into preparations to welcome the Crown Prince now, wouldn't that be tantamount to openly telling the Emperor that they still had spies planted in the palace?
Thinking of this, Jinse broke out in a cold sweat and immediately knelt down, kowtowing and begging for forgiveness, saying, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. It was all because I was confused for a moment. I was only thinking about how to properly entertain His Highness the Crown Prince during his visit, and I forgot where this news came from. Please punish me, Your Majesty!"
Seeing this, Su Nuannuan waved her hand gently, signaling Jinse to get up, and said slowly, "Alright, alright, get up. Just be more careful in the future."
"Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty." Jinse stood up with tears of gratitude and curtsied to Su Nuannuan again.
After standing still, Jinse secretly glanced at Su Nuannuan, looking as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Su Nuannuan took in Jinse's little actions and couldn't help but laugh as she said, "Jinse, we're master and servant, so you can speak your mind directly. This hesitant manner is not like your usual self."